SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate

Harriet Harman: The Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate Annual Report has today been published and laid before Parliament. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the Houses.

DEFENCE

Missile Defence

Geoff Hoon: On 17 December I informed the House of the receipt of a request from the United States Government to upgrade the early warning radar at Fylingdales for missile defence purposes.
	The Government has encouraged Parliamentary and public discussion of the issues involved. On 17 October, I informed the House of current work in the US on missile defence and, on 9 December, published a discussion paper, inviting interested parties to contribute their views. We have received a large number of responses both from individuals and organisations, and we have considered all contributions carefully. I have visited North Yorkshire to explain what the upgrade would involve and to hear at first hand the views of local people. We have engaged in initial discussions with the planning authorities. In an oral statement on 15 January, I informed the House of the Government's preliminary conclusion that it was in the UK's interest to agree to the US request. I gave evidence to the Defence Select Committee on the same day and addressed points raised by hon. Members in the defence debate on 22 January. I welcome the Select Committee's conclusion, in their report published on 29 January, that the UK should agree to the upgrade.
	In the course of these discussions we have been able to clarify that: the upgrade essentially comprises computer hardware and software modification, and involves no new development or change to the external appearance or power output of the radar; the radar will continue to fulfil its long-established ballistic missile early warning system (BMEWS) role; it will continue to be operated and staffed by the Royal Air Force, and we will continue to enjoy full access to its data; and the upgrade does not of itself commit the UK Government to any greater participation in the US missile defence programme. It does, however, keep open the prospect of acquiring missile defence capabilities for the UK, should we desire such protection at some point in the future. We will continue discussions with the local planning authorities on the detail of the upgrade work.
	I am now satisfied that we have been able to take fully into account the views of all interested parties in coming to a decision. I am therefore today replying to the United States Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld, conveying the Government's agreement to the US request. We are separately negotiating a technical memorandum of understanding to give British industry the best possible opportunities to win work on the US programme.

Watchkeeper Programme

Geoff Hoon: The Watchkeeper project is progressing well and we expect shortly to make an announcement on which of the four bidders will be selected to go through to the next phase of the competition.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Council of the European Union (Forthcoming Business)

Denis MacShane: Following is the forthcoming business of the European Union:
	FEBRUARY 5—Brussels—Meeting of the Presidium
	6–7—Brussels—Convention Plenary
	10–11—Brussels—Agriculture & Fisheries Council
	13—Brussels—Meeting of the Presidium
	17—Brussels—EUROGROUP (evening)
	18—Brussels—ECOFIN
	20—Brussels—Education Youth & Culture Council (to be confirmed)
	22—Thessaloniki—Energy Council (Ministerial Informal)
	24–25—Brussels—General Affairs & External Relations Council
	24–25—Brussels—Agriculture & Fisheries Council
	26—Brussels—Meeting of the Presidium
	27–28—Brussels—Convention Plenary
	27–28—Brussels—Justice & Home Affairs Council
	28—Brussels—Employment, Social Policy, Health & Consumer Affairs Council
	
		
			 Date Location Event 
		
		
			 MARCH  
			 1–2 Athens Informal Education 
			 3 Brussels Competitiveness Council 
			 4 Brussels Environment Council 
			 6 Brussels Meeting of the Presidium 
			 6 Luxembourg Employment, Social Policy, Health & Consumer Affairs Council 
			 6 Luxembourg EUROGROUP (evening) 
			 7 Luxembourg ECOFIN 
			 7 Luxembourg Transport, Telecom & Energy Council 
			 13 Brussels Meeting of the Presidium 
			 14–15 Athens (Informal Defence Meeting) 
			 17–18 Brussels Convention Plenary 
			 17–18 Luxembourg Agriculture & Fisheries Council 
			 18–19 Luxembourg General Affairs & External Relations Council 
			 21 Brussels EUROPEAN COUNCIL 
			 27 Brussels Meeting of the Presidium 
			 27–28 Luxembourg Transport, Telecom & Energy Council) 
			 27–28 Athens EU-Rio Group, EU-MERCOSUR 
			 28–29 Veria Informal Justice & Home Affairs (Veria) 
			 31 Brussels Agriculture & Fisheries Council (to be confirmed) 
			   
			 APRIL 
			 2 Brussels Meeting of the Presidium 
			 3–4 Brussels Convention Plenary 
			 4 Brussels Justice & Home Affairs 
			 4–6 Hania (Crete) Informal ECOFIN (Ministerial) 
			 5 Lisbon Europe—Africa Summit 
			 10 Brussels Meeting of the Presidium 
			 14–15 Luxembourg General Affairs & External Relations 
			 14 Brussels Agriculture & Fisheries 
			 16 Athens Signature of the Accession Treaty 
			 17 Athens European Conference 
			 23 Brussels Meeting of the Presidium 
			 24–25 Brussels Convention Plenary 
			   
			 MAY  
			 2–4 Olympia Gymnich (Informal Foreign Ministers) 
			 3–4 Athens Informal Environment (Ministerial Informal) 
			 5–6 Brussels Education, Youth & Culture Council (To be confirmed) 
			 8 Brussels Meeting of the Presidium 
			 10–13 Corfu Agriculture (Ministerial Informal) 
			 12–13 Brussels Competitiveness 
			 12 Brussels EUROGROUP 
			 13 Brussels ECOFIN 
			 14 Brussels Meeting of the Presidium 
			 14 Brussels Transport, Telecom & Energy Council 
			 15–16 Brussels Convention Plenary 
			 16 Brussels EU–ACP Ministerial 
			 16–17 Halkidiki Informal Regional Policy (Ministerial) 
			 16–18 Cruise off Greece Informal Transport & Merchant Marine (Ministerial) 
			 17 Brussels EU–W. Balkans (Zagreb Process) 
			 19 Brussels General Affairs & External Relations (+ Defence) 
			 20 Brussels General Affairs & External Relations 
			 22 Brussels Meeting of the Presidium 
			 24 Thessaloniki Informal Culture (Ministerial) 
			 26–27 Brussels Agriculture & Fisheries Council 
			 26–27 Crete EUROMED Conference (Mid Term Ministerial) 
			 27 Brussels Environment Council 
			 28 Brussels Meeting of the Presidium 
			 30–31 Brussels Convention Plenary 
			 31 St. Petersburg EU–Russia Summit 
			   
			 JUNE  
			 2 Brussels EUROGROUP 
			 12–13 Alexandroupoli Development Co-operation (Ministerial Informal) 
			 2–3 Brussels Transport, Telecom & Energy Council 
			 3 Brussels ECOFIN 
			 4 Brussels Meeting of the Presidium 
			 5–6 Brussels Convention Plenary 
			 5–6 Brussels Justice & Home Affairs Council 
			 5–6 Brussels Employment, Social Policy, Health & Consumer Affairs Council 
			 6 Rhodes Public Administration (Ministerial Informal) 
			 11 Brussels Meeting of the Presidium 
			 11–12 Brussels Agriculture & Fisheries Council 
			 12–13 Brussels Convention Plenary 
			 17–18 Luxembourg General Affairs & External Relations 
			 20 Halkidiki EUROPEAN COUNCIL 
			 21 Halkidiki Zagreb II Summit 
			 22 Brussels General Affairs & External Relations 
			 24 Brussels Employment, Social Policy, Health & Consumer Affairs Council 
			   
			 JULY  
			 2–3 Rome Research (Ministerial Informal) 
			 4–5 Naples Transport Infrastructure (Ministerial Informal) 
			 6 Brussels Trade (Ministerial Informal) 
			 10 Varese Informal Council/Troika 
			 11–12 Varese Informal Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs 
			 15–16 Brussels ECOFIN 
			 11–12 Varese Informal Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs 
			 15–16 Brussels ECOFIN 
			 17–18 Treviso EU Employment Committee (Informal) 
			 18–20 Montecatini Energy & Environment (Ministerial Informal) 
			 22–23 Brussels Agriculture & Fisheries Council 
			 22 Brussels General Affairs & External Relations 
			 24–25 Milan European Conference on Discrimination 
			 25–26 Verona Education (Ministerial Informal) 
			   
			 AUGUST No Meetings Planned

NORTHERN IRELAND

Tourism Ireland Ltd.

Ian Pearson: Tourism Ireland Ltd.'s annual report and accounts 2001 were laid before Parliament today.
	Copies have been placed in the Library.

TREASURY

Stakeholder Investment Products

Ruth Kelly: With the agreement of my right hon. Friend the Minister for Pensions, the Treasury and the Department for Work and Pensions are today publishing a consultation paper "Proposed Product Specifications for Sandler 'Stakeholder' Products". It takes forward one of the main recommendations of the Sandler review of July 2002. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House. The document is also available on the Treasury and Department for Work and Pensions websites.

TRANSPORT

Train Protection Systems

Alistair Darling: In April of last year my predecessor asked the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) for advice on the report of the rail industry's European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) programme team on how best to take forward the recommendations from the public inquiry on train protection systems jointly chaired by Professor Uff and Lord Cullen. I have now received the Commission's advice, in a letter to me of 5 February from the Commission Chair. I have placed a copy in the Library.
	The Commission says that the present programme of fitting the Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS)
	"is already delivering real safety benefits". The Commission "accepts that the Uff/Cullen timetable for installing ERTMS is not viable" and that "the current state of technology means that at the moment further use of health and safety law to mandate ERTMS is not appropriate". They endorse Level 2 as the best system for this country, although the Commission's consultants describe Level 2 as still at an early stage of development, and accept that Level 1 will reduce capacity. The Commission recommends that the Strategic Rail Authority take the lead in developing a single national programme for ERTMS development. I have accepted the HSC's advice.